Never Give Up Hope
by But I Have Promises To Keep
Summary: Sequel to my story "Don't Say Goodbye". Can Mal and Natara make their long distance relationship work, even when it's pushed to the ultimate test? Can Natara find Mal before it's to late?
1. Chapter 1

**Never give up hope**

**I know I should be working on 'One More Day Version Two: Natara's Code' but I found I somewhat enjoyed writing fluff, not nearly as much as darker stuff though. (I swear I'm not emo, I'm against labels anyways). So, this is a sequel to my other fan-fiction, 'Don't Say Goodbye'. I highly suggest (not advertising) you read it too, because you might not understand what the situation is of you don't. If you don't want to read it, I'll sum it up here and if you did just skip the next section. **

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><p><strong>Natara is called back to the FBI. She plans to leave and doesn't tell Mal. Mal chases her down and says 'this is not a goodbye' and after a little Maltara fluff they end up together. Natara leaves and Mal comes back to the station to find he can video chat with her and they start a long distance relationship. Ok, that's pretty much it. ON WITH THE STORY!<strong>

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><p>Natara pulled out her iPhone, glancing at the time and doing quick math for the change in time zones. After making sure it was an appropriate time in San Francisco, she called Mal. She did this every day, whenever she got a spare time she made her daily call to Mal. Mal had indeed kept his promise, they did make their relationship work. Although they didn't work together, they always called or video chatted every day. At least one a day, and usually only once because of the time difference. It rang, but Mal did not pick up. She checked her time again, finding she was right. Mal should, unless he was in a spot where he couldn't come to the phone, be able to answer. At this time he should have just gone to work, and be able to at least text and say he couldn't talk. It had been the same routine for he past two months, only a few times had he texted and said he was busy. On those few occasions they always made time, no matter how late they were both up, to talk. That was how they would make it work. She glanced up the window and scowled as she saw her partner Tom in the window, he smiled and waved stupidly at her. She didn't respond, and hoped he wouldn't come in and sit with her. Tom was nice, but was a trainee Natara had been assigned to and in all honesty annoyed the crap of of her. He was friendly, but all to clumsy, especially around Natara. She knew he had a little crush on her, and often slipped in the fact that she had a boyfriend casually in a conversion to remind him. Apparently he took her complete ignorance to his wave as a 'come on over' and walked into the café Natara had been sitting and eating at.<br>"Hey Natara!" he said way-to cheerfully. He was simply one of those people who were always smiling and constantly irritating you, but he was way to nice to tell him off for anything. "Nice seeing you here!".  
>Natara hated when he said this. Their were literally two fast food places within walking distance, and she swore he followed her to whichever one she chose that day. "Yeah, I eat too" she said, keeping her voice soft yet sarcastic. For some reason he took this as a reason to sit down with her, and chatted away happily to a barely -listening Natara. She nodded occasionally while still looking at her phone. No response. She couldn't help but worry, and she knew she was over reacting. What with both their jobs they could take care of themselves, but a natural instinct constantly kept her worried about Mal. After over ten minutes of pretending to listen to Tom, she said "Hey, gotta go Tom. I have to umm… grab something from my apartment."<br>"It's Thomas" he said. This was the only thing that bugged him, and Natara called him Tom when she didn't want him to come with where ever she was going. Knowing it had once again worked, she sped off and fled from her annoying partner.


	2. Chapter 2

After walking to her apartment to avoid suspicion, Natara walked back to the FBI building. She avoided going in for the longest time, checking her phone. After another ten minutes of this she was already late, and decided to walk in. As soon as she entered she found herself face to face with Clark. Jethro Clark, who made everyone was forced to call by his surname, was best know for his stoic face. He rarely let his stoney face break, but a rumor went around that his four year old daughter had him wrapped around her finger. He didn't seem surprised at Natara's sudden appearance. "Ah, special agent Williams" he said, his voice low and monotone. Natara appreciated his professional manner compared to Tom's usual unprofessionalism, but didn't take kindly to his strict demeanor. He strongly reminded Natara of a high school teacher, one that could command the room with one word. "I was just looking for you. I've assigned you a new partner". Natara sighed with relief, but felt bad as she did because Tom honestly tried to be nice. "Who is it?" she asked, looking for any trace of her new partner.  
>Clark said "That would be me. We have a new case that has taken a position of importance and we do not really want a trainee on this assignment. Thomas is a little unqualified". For some odd reason Natara suddenly imagined Tom in a shoot out, and thought he was to soft and would die as soon as weapons were shown. "What's the case?" she asked. Clark sighed as if this were a stupid question and answered "A couple of child abductions. First few were only in one state, but when it moved to another state and the missing toll came up to high we took jurisdiction over it". Suddenly Natara's phone rang, and she mentally slapped herself for leaving it on. Clark looked at her over his glasses, as if he were about to scold her. "Is this important?" he asked.<br>"No, probably not" she lied. She knew Mal would be calling her, but wasn't about to hold a conversation with her boyfriend in front of her superior. He turned around and walked away, signaling her to follow. Natara quickly checked her phone, seeing it was a text from Amy. 'How strange' she thought. Amy had never texted her while she was at work, and Natara knew she was too smart to miscalculate the time change. She quickly looked at it as she walked behind Clark. What she read almost made her heart stop. 'Come back quick. Mal is gone'.


	3. Chapter 3

She was so shocked that she stopped walking, almost dropping her phone. 'Gone' she thought 'What does she mean by gone?'. Clark must have heard the lack of footsteps behind her and turned around. "Anything wrong agent Williams?" he asked. She was too shocked to respond, but her clear shock must have shown in her face. "If you need to take a personal call you may step outside for a moment" he said. Natara was very happy he was a profiler, because he had known that was exactly what she'd wanted to do. She gave a slight appreciative nod and stepped outside, sunlight having no affect on her numb body. It was quite noisy, and called Amy as she walked to find a quieter spot. She picked up as she found a secluded bench just outside the back entrance. "Hello?" said Amy, her voice was terrible horse.  
>"What do you mean 'gone'?" asked Natara, getting straight to her point.<br>She heard Amy break into tears, and felt a weight drop in her stomach. "He went to-to get a suspect from their home" she choked out "He never came back. We went for him and-oh Natara there was so much blood! They said-he lost too much- to much blood. He's dead Natara. We didn't find him, but there's now way-" she stopped then, overcome by tears. Natara felt her own eyes well up with the sad liquid, felt them spill down her own cheeks. 'This is not happening' she thought 'Not now. Not just as we started to make our relationship work'. She knew she looked terribly stupid, crying on a bench outside the headquarters to the FBI. Surrounded by people who risked their lives on a daily basis, who looked at her like a weakling. She simply sat there, and although they were thousands of miles apart, Amy and Natara wept together. 


	4. Chapter 4

Natara hadn't realized how long she'd been. That Clark had come to see where she had done, and she barely managed to choke out to him what had happened. She felt stupid, sobbing as Clark kept a straight face. He left her there to make arrangements to take a leave of absence, and managed to call Amy and had her arrange for her to fly back out. She scheduled a flight for early that morning, and walked back to her apartment. She managed to compose herself as she walked, making her appear somewhat sane among the people who walked past her. She packed her things, the same amount she had when she left the first time. When she was flying out on what Mal had called 'crap detail' to assist in the Maskmaker case. After everything was packed, she curled up like a cat in her bed, but did not find sleep.

_Two months ago_

Natara had her phone held to her cheek, talking quickly to Amy on the way to work.  
>"I know it's a three months away and it's a little early to make arrangements, but I'd really like to come back for Christmas. First Christmas with me and Mal as a couple you know?"<br>"Thats great! Are you going to make it a surprise for him or should I tell him?" she said.  
>Natara thought for a moment. "Surprise I think. That way if something comes up and I can't come no ones disappointed."<br>"Don't worry! I won't tell anyone!"

_Present_

She opened her eyes at the sound of the alarm on her phone, and saw she had a message as she went to turn it off. "Agent Williams" said Clark's voice "We have arranged for you to take a leave of absence from work. We would, if you feel up to it, like you to assist on the investigation. We will assume you accept this assignment if you do not respond. That is all". Natara closed her phone and stuffed it in her pocket as she dressed to leave. She summoned a taxi, and once again arrived at the airport. She remembered how Mal had wrapped his arms around her, saying this was not a goodbye. That they would make it work. Not there was no one, it was during the week and the airport was nearly empty. She went through security fairly quickly, boarding and staring at her silent phone. Half of her wanted to call and say she didn't want to work the case, however weak she sounded. Most of her though wanted to avenge Mal, should he be dead. 'He's dead' she remind herself 'he's dead and he's not going back'. She spent the next few hours staring blankly into the air, digging her nails into her palms in anxiety. She knew no one would greet her as she arrived. Not anymore.

**Just letting you know, don't worry. FLUFF IS ON THE WAY**


	5. Chapter 5

After retrieving her luggage from the rack, she walked outside to the cool air that marked the death of November. She once again called a taxi, and quickly found herself standing like a mouse before the seemingly larger building. It was familiar to her, yet she felt like a stranger as she walked up the stone steps to the front doors. As she walked in eyes followed her, but she ignored them and walked immediately down to the crime lab. She saw her own reflection as she walked past a window, and was glad to see she didn't look like she had completely fallen apart. She walked down the steps and hadn't even walked in the door before when Amy had pounced in her and gave her a quick hug. As she pulled away, Natara quickly assessed the room. Ken, Amy and Kai had clearly looking over a case and were set up at a nearby table. Ken hadn't even looked up from the table, Kai only quickly doing so. She looked at Amy, as felt somewhat prideful that she was doing better that Amy. She ignored her and crossed over to where Ken and Kai worked. "What case was Mal working on?" she asked, her voice almost breaking.  
>"Maxwell Morgan, suspect to abducting his wife and daughter. He chased him down to a property owned by his late father. We found his wife Alexandra Morgan in a dumpster nearby, no sign of Mal or the little girl. This is where he taken" Ken said, looking tired and gesturing to several pictures. She glanced at the pictures on the table, which almost made her faint. There was a splatter of blood on the wall, several flecks on the carpet also. In the middle of the room was one large dark crimson stain, like a giant rose. It was darkest in the middle, an if Mal had died he most likely would have spent his last moments at that spot. "Is that-his?" she barely whispered, finding her voice was horse and raspy. Kai was the one who answered, suprising her with the unusual softness of his voice. "This and this is" he said, pointing to the flecks of blood and splatter on the wall. He pointed to the large stain, which appeared have saturated the carpet "This we don't know. It was chemically cleaned, the DNA had been completely destroyed."<br>"So it might not be Mal's blood" she said, trying not to sound hopeful even though she could feel her heartbeat quicken.  
>"Most likely it is" said Ken. "I don't know who else's it could be".<br>"Why would they only clean up that one spot?" she asked, not able keep her voice from rising.  
>Ken must have herd her hopefullness, and was trying to keep her from getting her hopes up. "Maybe they're trying to make us think he might be alive."<br>Natara was astounded by his negativity "Do you want Mal dead?" she asked "If there's a chance he might still be alive we have to take it. Maybe we shouldn't be looking for a body. Mal wouldn't have gone put without a fight! He would have fought until his last breath!".  
>"Natara listen to yourself!" he said, rising from his chair "You sound like- like your…"<br>"Following my gut?" she said. There was an awkward silence between all of them, then Amy put her hand in Natara's shoulder and said in a soothing voice "Natara…"  
>Unable to take it any longer, Natara began to cry and choked out "Either way…I-I just want him home" she said, and the four of them almost hurtled together as if in silent prayer. As if they stuck together, nothing could touch them. <p>


	6. Chapter 6

_Two days ago_

Mal walked to the front door of the building where he knew his suspect would be hiding. He knocked loudly at the door, yelling "SFPD! Open up!". He kept his hand on his gun as he waited, and saw a larger man open the door only a crack. "Maxwell Morgan?" he said, barely able to see him past the crack. The man nodded. Mal pulled out his badge "Detective Mal Fallon. I need to take you in and ask you a few questions about your wife and daughter's disappearances". For a moment Maxwell looked at him with wide eyes, and for a moment he looked as if he would come out. Then a young girls girls scream, a high one that yelled "Help!" sounded. Mal didn't hesitate. He broke down the door with three quick shoves, breaking it right off his hinges. He drew his gun, running through the dust from the plaster where Maxwell had clearly just disappeared. He ran in, and the dust was just clearing as he heard a loud crack and felt his shoulder burn. He saw his own blood fleck the carpet and wall. A swift punch came way to close to his head, and Mal was able to dodge it just in time. He held his injured shoulder, which was bleeding freely. It suddenly burned with pain, and in his moment of distraction Maxwell pounced in his and knocked him to the ground, holding a cold knife to his throat and sitting on top of him. He felt the cool blade press down, and felt a few beads of blood just escape his skin. "Daddy no…" cried the same little girl. Maxwell turned his head but Mal didn't dare move. He could see her in the corner if his eye though. She couldn't be more that eight, and was crying as she stood over a large bloodstain. The body of a woman was at her feet, and he heard her briefly call "No, mommy…" at the sight of her dead mother.  
>"Don't you let her see this" said Mal. Maxwell shot him a hateful glance.<br>"Molly, go back in the other room" he said.  
>"No, you'll just kill him!" she yelled, still crying "Don't do it daddy, please…" she wept. Maxwell turned back to Mal, and for a moment he looked as if he would kill Mal anyways. Then her raised his fist and struck Mal quickly in the temple, and his vision faded to black.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

_Present_

Mal painfully opened his eyes, a cold and dark metal room greeting his vision. 'No, not a room. Rooms don't have motors, or run over bumps in the road' he thought 'a cargo truck'. He was lying in the back corner, and didn't even know someone was looming over him until he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. He grunted involuntarily in pain. "Sorry!" said a high voice. He looked up and in his groggy vision he saw the little girl from earlier. She was bending over him, her own torn pink jacket ripped to shreads in her hands. One hand was digging in his shoulder, the other at her side, covered in blood. Mal dimly watched her as she worked, her little face set. He handfull of ripped fabric quickly disappeared, and he could see she has taken a few strands off his jacket, which lied in the corner. She had quickly finished, and bent down to examine his face. "Are you okay?" she asked. He voice was young, but was spoken as if she were an adult. As a response Mal sat up, dizzy from his head injury. "How did you know to do that?" he asked her quietly.  
>"My dad's been doing this a long time" she said, "I'm lucky I'm still alive. I try to stop him, but he can't". She looked at him seriously "Are you gonna shoot him?" she asked. Mal couldn't respond to this right away, and thought of the best was to put it. "Not if I can help it." he said. The girl put a hand to her mouth, and nodded slowly.<br>"Why did you save me?" he asked "You could have been killed."  
>The girl paused for a moment, saying nothing. After a long silence, she said "My dad, he didn't like my mom very much. He hit her, and I quickly found he wouldn't do it if I stopped him. I know he killed two other women" she said, he voice suddenly broke and Mal comfortingly brushed some hair from her face. She quickly composed herself. "Made me help, help bury them deep in a part of some woods. Told me to be a good little girl and keep it a secret. Seemed to think it was 'father-daughter bonding" she said. The disturbing things this young girl had seen Mal knew would haunt her forever. That out was wrong for any little girl to see what she'd seen, talk about murder instead of happiness. "He stopped when I got old enough to know what he did was wrong, until my mom made him angry" she said. "It was stupid, I don't even know why he was mad. He threatened her, grabbed me and shoved me in the car. My mom followed us to the garage. Grabbed my mom and threw her in the trunk, told her if she struggled she would die". The girl began to weep uncontrollably now, and Mal put his arm around her in a fatherly way. As if to protect her from the very evils of the world. "Took us inside after we got in the garage at my grandpa's house. He died a few weeks ago. Took us in the living room, told me to stay in the kitchen. I couldn't hear what they said, but I heard my mom scream. I peeked around the corner and-" she stopped, unable to go on. She eventually choked out "When I heard you at the door, I just wanted help. I've been waiting for a long time for my daddy to go to jail. I just want him to stop. I wish-" she gasped for air "I wish you could take him away. So he can't hurt anyone else ever again."<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

Natara returned to her old hotel that day, right after she had her argument with Ken. After they had all stood as if frozen together, when she had felt like a stupid child from being comforted by the others. They had worked continuously on the case, and later Natara called and rented a room at the same long term hotel room she had before she left. She called a taxi and drug all the luggage she had brought out to it, then headed to the hotel. After getting her key and entering the room, she saw a strange silver glimmer on her bag. She looked, seeing it was a silver white-house in miniature. It words D.C. written across the keychain made her rub her finger over the rough surfaces if she were blind and trying to read the letters. She took it off the bag, keeping it warm in her palm as she went to bed. She squeezed the metal until it hurt and marks formed on her hand. She suddenly sat up in the dark, and whispered to the metal as if could hear her. "I just wanted something, anything in my life that's permanent. Something that can't be taken away. Is that so much to ask?". Silence. In anger she threw the keychain on the ground, frustration from their minimal findings in the case flooding in. She let her eyes close, knowing what she did was crazy. But saying it lessened the weight in her chest, so for once she could actually breathe. Before she fell asleep, she got out of bed and searched for the keychain in the dark. She found it, and kept in in the palm of her hand as a security object. Like a talisman of hope that she would hold tight forever, that she would never let anyone take it away. As she closed her eyes, she remembered how horrible her first week on D.C. had been. How Shawn's ghost had followed her, where rumors spread about his death. How she constantly turned to tell Mal something. How she woke up every day that week, thinking she was back in San Francisco. In the few minutes before she fell asleep, she unconsciously let her hand curl close to her body. Drawing her talisman of hope closer to her beating heart.


	9. Chapter 9

Mal let the little girl cry herself to sleep, resting her head on his good shoulder. He kept watch, trying to remember her name. 'Molly, wasn't it?' he thought. He saw a beaded bracelet on her little wrist confirming this, and as she awoke she jumped when she realized she was resting on his shoulder. "It's okay" said Mal. He wondered what made him like this, feel a connection with this girl. He figured it was because of what they had in common. Her father, like his was a criminal. Her mother was dead. He brushed a little bit of her dark hair out if her little face. "You've been so brave" he said.  
>"I want my mom" she said, sniffling.<br>Mal didn't respond, but continued to brush her hair from her cheek in a comforting way. She eventually went back to sleep, and Mal made a promise to himself that if they both got out of this alive he would never let anything hurt this little girl again. She wasn't his responsibility, but in a way she almost was. She was like him, and he didn't want her life to be like his when he was a kid. She needed a real life, and Mal wanted to give it to her. For a moment, he almost imagined her being his daughter. He smiled at that idea, and thought how proud he would be if she was.


	10. Chapter 10

Mal remained still for a long time, keeping his eyes of the door. He could tell they stopped several times, Mal could tell when they stopped running over little imperfections in the road. Molly had woken up earlier when they ran over a speed bump, jerking with a start. She simply sat with Mal, almost shaking with anxiety and fear. He knew she had seen horrible things, but have never been in a situation like this. He knew she was hungry, thirsty and scared. The truck stopped, and Mal figured the driver must be making his nightly stop to rest. Suddenly the faint light if the moon, bright in the eyes of someone who lives in darkness for three days, blinded Molly and Mal. "Molly sweetie" called a voice "Daddy has a job for you".

Natara came into work, losing hope with every day Mal was missing. He had been gone for three days now, and Natara refused to say he was dead. It was on the third day when Amy came to her for her opinions for Mal's memorial. "Memorial?" she said when she approached her "What, like a funeral? Thats for dead people".  
>She had then given her a sympathetic look that Natara had come to loath from repeated encounters with the gaze. Natara's hands flew up to the metal of the little white-house around her neck, constantly warmed just above her heart. She had put the little charm on an old necklace chain, and often found herself holding it in her fingers when she was nervous. "Don't make any arrangements" said Natara "Unless it's a welcome home party, or something that will bring Mal home". She turned on heel, walking away from Amy, whom she knew was giving her another piteous gaze behind her back. She saw Ken, who she almost walked past before he grabbed her upper arm to stop her. "Natara, I just wanted to let you know we may have made a break in Mal's case."<br>Natara's heart stopped for a moment "What, what is it?" she said excitedly.  
>"A truck was stolen" he said.<br>"What does that have to do with anything?" she asked angrily.  
>"It was recently spotted, and man matching Maxwell Morgan's description was spotted getting has at a gas station. He was also spotted with a little girl and a man meeting Mal's description in Nevada, and he was walking into the woods with them. <p>


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry about the chapter confusion earlier.**

Mal, after just received a threat if being shot if he tried anything, did as he was told and let Molly tie his hands behind his back. She heard her nervous breath behind him, and could feel something ice cold press into his hand. A nail, bent on one end. Mal assumed she had found it and was keeping it just in case. She tied his hands tightly, but planted the nail in his hands in a way so it was hidden if he kept them clasped, but he could easily hack through the bindings. "Molly, come out first!" called her father. She obeyed. "Now you, real slowly!" he called to Mal. He did so, but noticed as he slipped out into the night that there was a glint of metal sticking out of Maxwell's pocket. Mal's gun. He slipped out, and noticed they were at what looked like the parking lot to a hiking trail. As it was early December, the parking lot was abandoned accept for a deserted looking information center. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but Mal thought he saw a shadow move in the dark windows. Maxwell came intimidatingly closer to him, pressing the gun that was still in his pocket into Mal's back. He forced Mal to the beginning on the trail, forcing him to walk across the uneven ground. "Molly!" he called, calling his daughter like a dog.

Natara was shocked at what Ken had just told her. At this point there was evidence that Mal was somehow, miraculously alive. "What are we going to do? Go get him or-?" but Natara stopped abruptly at the look on his face.  
>"Remember when you were held hostage in the courtroom with Vernon Frist, and Mal kept the swat team out so you could have a chance to get out yourself?" he asked.<br>"How could I forget?"  
>"That's what we need to do now. Mal's obviously is in a situation where he's being threatened, if he's even still alive. If we go out there, he could be killed in the confusion. Even if he wasn't, by the time we got there it'll be to late to do anything."<br>"So all we can do is wait and hope Mal can get out alive?" she asked. She knew he could take care of himself, but couldn't help the surge of anxiety when Ken nodded.


	12. Chapter 12

He heard Molly drinking from a water bottle behind him, and was glad his father was actually somewhat taking care of her. He was pushed down the path, and every few minutes was reminded not to try anything by a sharp jab with his own gun. They walked for a long time, enough time that Mal could feel his fingers go numb and could barely see from the amount of mist rising from his own breath. After what he assumed to be miles, Maxwell said "Stop". Mal, not having much choice, did as he was told. "Molly, go refill your water bottle at the stream. It's a little ways to the right."  
>Mal couldn't see her, but knew she was narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "No, I know you're gonna kill him as soon as I leave."<br>Maxwell did not move, but said in fury. "You dare disobey your father? It's time you learned some respect." It all happened in a rush. Maxwell turned to hit Molly, and Mal used this split second to make his move. He had been working as they were walking on freeing his bindings, and had been waiting to rip the last thread. He did so, and wiped around to punch Maxwell. His fist made contact with the side of his head, and he wiped around and smacked Mal with his gun, drawing blood on Mal's temple and he fell back, landing on his hands. Maxwell raised his gun to shoot Mal. Molly was to close, and saw why was about to happen. She ran in front of Her father, trying to push the gun away so Mal wouldn't be shot if it went off. Her and her father grappled for a moment, and Mal got up to help her. But it was to late. The gun went off when Molly tried to grab it and ended up pushing the trigger into her fathers finger. It went off, and Molly was in the way. It pierced straight through her chest, dying her pink shirt crimson. She fell like a bird with broken wings, crumpling to he ground. Her father looked down at her with wild eyes, horrified at what he'd just done. He looked at Mal briefly, before taking the gun and shooting himself in the head before Mal could even react. He crumpled on top of his daughter, and Mal couldn't do anything but run to to Molly's side, to push her father off of her. To pick up her little crumpled body, curled up like a wounded animal. To feel at her neck. To realize, she was not yet lost. He heart still beat.


	13. Chapter 13

'She's alive' thought Mal. Leaving the body of her father behind, he cradled her little body close to his chest. She was so still, it was hard to believe she was still breathing. With all the strength he had left, Mal full-on sprinted he length of the path, each step seemingly taking an eternity. He heard it though as he neared. Voices. He could see police lights. They were looking for him, and possibly could save Molly's life. 'It's my fault if she dies' he though 'this is the second time this girls pit her life on the line for me. She's only eight'. He neared the end, and saw guns trained on him as he ran through the treelike, yelling "Don't shoot! I have a child!". He resented every step her took, causing Molly's body more damage with every motion. As he ran into the parking lot, several paramedic much have seen him running with Molly because they quickly took her from his arms. "She's been shot" was all he seemed capable of saying. That and "Please, she saved my life, she's only eight. Please". They took her away, and Mal realized he had never felt this before. Worry, for someone he loved as if it were his own child. As if it had been his daughter that had been shot.

Natara was pacing like a tiger in a cage. She never strayed far from the phone though, she wanted to pounce on it when it rang. To know either way what the outcome was. To make it end. It rang, and several people went for it at once. Natara was the quickest though, and quickly snatched the phone away from the others hands.  
>"Hello?" she said. The others crowded around her, as if they could read her very thoughts. "No, I'm certain she isn't." Eventually she hung up, her face unreadable. "He's okay" she said, and there was a shared breath of relief. She was still frowning "Molly isn't".<br>"Who's Molly?" asked Amy.  
>"I don't know, but whoever it is they were under the impression she was Mal's daughter."<br>"Did he say that?" asked Amy.  
>"No, but apparently he nearly killed himself from exhaustion carrying her eight miles after she was shot."<p> 


	14. Chapter 14

The others stared at Natara and her odd message. No one knew who Molly could be except for Amy, who had let out a squeak when Molly's name had been called. Everyone turned to her for an explanation. "Molly Morgan, she's Maxwell's daughter" she explained "We all thought he was dead. I really hoped she wasn't, it's just so sad. She's only a little girl. How did she get shot?"  
>"Didn't say" said Natara "But they don't think she's going to make it. Mal was hurt to, but nothing untreatable." There was a long silence, as if they were all in morning for the little unknown girl. "Where are they?" asked Ken eventually. He looked dumbstruck that he had given up on his best friend while he was still alive.<br>"Mercy Hospital on the border of Nevada, just outside Carson city." answered Natara answered. "That's only a few hours from here" said Ken.  
>Natara said "Then lets go. There's no way I'm risking anything from not being there again."<p>

Mal wasn't sure how he had gotten to the hospital with Molly, or why he was sitting in the waiting room while she was possibly dying. He did remember an hour earlier, when he had been lead away to get the bullet in his shoulder removed, only to be found it had already been taken out. He had gotten stitches and had it wrapped, the shredded remains if his and Molly's jackets disposed of. He had been told to eat and drink the small packages of food and water bottle they gave him, or they would be putting IV's in his arm. Wanting to be ready should any fate befall Molly, he did as he was told without protest. He sat, feeling completely helpless and separated from her. He took to pacing around the room, demanding answers from anyone who neared them. After many of them were unable to give him an answer, Mal gave up and sat back down. He sat like that for hours, but to him it felt like years. Eventually a tired looking nurse came out, dressed in scrubs. "Malachi Fallon?" she called. Mal sprung up, and she gave him a look if pure disgust at seeing his bloody attire. She looked at him, her eyes narrowed. "You have no idea how luck she is".  
>"So she's okay?" he said somewhat angrily. He was tired of indirect answers.<br>"She has a fighting chance now. We removed the bullet lodged in her ribcage and had to fix a small hole in her aorta."  
>"What are her chances of recovery?" he asked.<br>She looked like she didn't want to answer this, and gave a wary glance to the floor. "Forty percent." Mal felt his heart drop down, a terrible worrying pain right in his very core. But she was a fighter, like him. And he wouldn't give up on her. "Can I see her?" Mal was barely able to choke out. The nurse solemnly nodded "She's asleep, but yes. Third door to the right." Mal numbly went to the door, knowing his girl was probably going to lose her life, all because of him. For a moment he stood at the door, his hand resting on the handle. Then her entered, knowing weather she would would live or not, he wouldn't let her do it alone.


	15. Chapter 15

Natara and Amy had taken one car, Ken and Kai the other. Amy tried to lighten the mood by saying Kai was probably annoying the crap out of Ken by now. Natara was not amused. She found herself clenching her fists on her lap, a handful of the fabric from her pants growing damp from the sweat of her palms. Long after the sky changed from dark to light, they finally parked right behind where Ken had in the hospitals parking lot. Natara already was half-out of the car when it stopped moving, and ran right through the heavy morning mist to the building where she knew she would find Mal. Without looking back at the others, she walked right past the sliding doors to the front desk, ignoring her initial distrust of the building. "Natara Williams, I'm here to see Mal Fallon?" she said. The receptionist looked around the empty waiting room, and said "If isn't in here, he might be with the girl he came with. Room 208". She heard the others enter behind him, but was so intent on her destination she took no time for a glance back. She fast-walked to the room, making sure it was the right number before she walked in. The sight that met her eyes was not a happy one. Mal was sitting next to a little eight-or-so year old girl. He was lovingly pushing a strand of her hair that had escaped her loose braid out of her face. Her face was deathly pale, and at first she thought she was a corpse. As she entered a ghost of a smile played on Mal's face, and as she ran to embrace him she whispered "I never gave up on you".

Over the next hour Mal explained to them what had happened, after they were joined by Amy, Kai and Ken. His encounter with Maxwell, how Molly had saved his life the first time as she wept over the body of her mother. Being knocked out, Molly treating his injured shoulder. Being stuck in the truck for what he was later told was three days. Molly giving him the nail to free himself, being forced to walk down the trail, how Maxwell had finally lost it with his daughter, giving Mal the chance to strike back. How Molly had saved his life the second time, bringing her here. Natara listened, her eyes big and compassionate for the little girl. She leaned over to get a better look at her, gently pressing her fingers to her cheek as if checking for fever. "I never thought a little girl could do all that."  
>"She did, and if she didn't I wouldn't be here right now."<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

After Mal had finished his story, as if on cue there was a sound. It was faint, a slight moan of pain. Mal turned back to where Molly lay under the covers, and saw her eyes were twitching, as if they were going to snap open at any second. Mal's attention was immediately back on Molly. Natara found it odd, this new Mal. He wasn't himself, he was what Natara could only describe as a father. Not her's, not his. A good father, ones she had seen in parks playing catch with their sons. Heaving their daughters up on their shoulders. He was utterly changed, the tough and somewhat childish at times Mal replaced by a loving father substitute. She remembered Clark back in D.C.. How he was a cold blooded, stoic man around anyone other that his daughter, he rumors how he melted at the very sight of her. Molly's eyes flickered open, and Natara could hear Mal's breath of relief. Her eyes met his face, trying to focus on it. They were forgiving and soft. She tried to say something, but Mal said "Ssshhhh…it's alright now. Your safe". She allowed her eyes to shut again, and Mal knew she had fallen back to sleep.  
>"We should let her rest" said Natara. The others left, but Mal didn't respond for a moment, he kept looking at the sleeping form of Molly. He stood up and Natara grabbed his hand and gave it a light tug, leading him to the waiting room once more.<p> 


	17. Chapter 17

Natara led him to sit with her at a small group of chairs, where the others sat together. Ken was silent but kept his face in his hands as if resting. Amy had her elbow on her leg, her cheek in her hand. Kai was looking at the floor. Natara and Mal sat in the two remaining seats in that area, no one looked up as they approached. "What's going to happen to her?" asked Natara. Mal looked at her questioningly, wondering what exactly she was asking. "She has no where to go".  
>"If she needs to, she can live with me." said Mal.<br>There was a slight pause. "Everyone thought she was your daughter earlier, before I said she wasn't" said Natara.  
>"I would be proud if she was. She saved my life, twice." he said.<br>"That doesn't make you responsible for her. What if she has relatives she can live with?"said Natara "Then you have to respect that."  
>Mal looked at her seriously "Look at her Nat. Her father was a criminal. She doesn't have a mother. Who does that remind you of?"<br>Natara was silent for a moment. "She's not you Mal. Her situation is different."  
>"Is it? Not at the basics. I don't want her to grow up the way I did. To be embarrassed and mocked at school, constantly reminded what her fathers done. That's no life for her." he said.<br>Natara went quiet once again, and a very long pause went by before she said "Your going to raise someone you met three days ago alone? What will she do on school vacations when your at work? Sit alone?"  
>Mal didn't answer, he hadn't thought of that. "I'll think of something."<br>"Mal, you can't make it up as you go along, this is a girls whole life your talking about." Mal kept silent. "You don't have to do it alone. I can help you, Molly needs a mother."  
>For a moment Mal didn't seem to realize what she was saying. You could see on his face when it sunk in. "Don't you have to go back to D.C.?"<br>"I'm thinking of quitting and moving to San Francisco to work with you. I don't have anyone left in D.C.. I used to have friends there, but after the Shawn incident they seemed to draw away. Like they blamed me. They don't understand. You and Molly needs me more. I can help you, you don't have to take care of her alone."  
>"You'd do that?" he asked.<br>"I would. She doesn't deserve any less". Natara was surprised when he hugged her, somewhat awkwardly since they were sitting down. "I love you Nat. You have no idea how much this means to me".


	18. Chapter 18

"Mal Fallon?" someone said. Mal turned around to see another nurse standing behind them. Mal stood up and turned to her.  
>"How's she doing?" he asked. The others had stood up also. They had come to care for the girl who saved their friends life.<br>"She's doing well. She's fully awake and wants to see you". She surveyed the amount of people sitting with them, scrunching her nose up as if they had broken a rule by simply sitting there. "Only two visitors at a time please".  
>"You and Natara go" said Amy right away. They walked past the nurse and into Molly's room, where she sat and waited, looking weak but was smiling. Mal sat closest to her, Natara next to him. "Hey Molly, how are you feeling?" asked Natara sweetly.<br>Molly looked at her, clearly not impressed by her tone "Like someone who just got shot".  
>Mal couldn't help but smile.<br>"Where's my dad? I want to make sure he goes to jail for a long time" she said.  
>Mal was shocked by her tone, it had gone from hopeful to pure hatred. "He-he didn't make it" said Mal.<br>Molly's face flashed a slightly hurt look, but quickly turned back to hard and angry. "Good, I hate him. He hated me."  
>"Molly" said Mal reproachfully "He didn't hate you. What happened was an accident."<br>"An accident! Yeah right". The same nurse peeked her head in the door and said "Mr. Fallon! If you keep antagonizing my patient I'm going to have to ask you to leave". Molly gave her a look of pure venom and the nurse ducked out of the doorway. Molly lowered her voice after that. "He always hated me. I'm glad he's dead! He killed my mom, two other people and almost killed me and you. I should be dead right now."  
>Natara looked astounded that a girl her age could speak so darkly. Mal said "but your not dead don't forget that. Don't say you hate him, you don't mean that."<br>"Yes I do" she said "and he hated me more".  
>"He loved you Molly." said Mal. "Who did he always stop for when he was hurting your mom? You. Who did he never want to see him kill? You. He thought burying his victims he was bonding with you. He ended his own life because he thought you were dead. He may be many things, but I know he was someone who loved his daughter."<br>There was a long pause, then Molly finally said "I just wanna get out of here. I don't like hospitals".  
>Finally, something Natara could relate to her about "Me to Molly, me to."<p>

**So, the awkward moment when you only plan on 12 chapters and it'll probably take 20 just to get your story across. Oh well, that's probably because Molly wasn't supposed to be a major character. oh well.**


	19. Chapter 19

The same nurse peeked her head in again and said "Mr. Fallon? There's a phone for you". Mal got up and and followed the nurse out to where the receptionist had her hand extended out to hand him the phone. He took it from her and said into it "Hello?".  
>"Glad to hear your back among the living Detective Fallon."<br>Mal smiled upon hearing his captains voice. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed everyone. "Good to be back. Can I ask what this call is about? I take it's not just a greeting".  
>There was a long pause, and then Captain Yeong said "Molly's grandmother wants to meet you when she picks her up".<br>Mal felt a weight drop in his stomach. He knew he had no right over Molly over a relative. "She's taking Molly away?".  
>"I'm sorry Detective. I heard how much you cared for her. Molly's grandmother should meet you at the hospital in about an hour. I just wanted to give you forewarning. Goodbye". She hung up then, leaving Mal to numbly hand the phone back to the receptionist. He turned around to inform Natara of what had happened, and found himself face to face with Natara. "Who was that?" she asked.<br>"Captain Yeong" Mal said simply.  
>Natara looked at his curiously, as if trying to read his mind through his face. "What did she call for?"<br>"Molly's grandmother is coming for her in about an hour. She wants to meet me before she takes her away." said Mal.  
>The disappointment must have shown on his face, for Natara put her hand comfortingly on his shoulder and said "Mal…".<br>Mal didn't want her hand in his shoulder, but wasn't going to act cold to her and brush it away. She had done nothing. He simply shrugged and said "It's okay. It's best if she's with her family".  
>"You cared about her. Your as much as family as anyone else" she said.<br>"I've only known her for three days".  
>"And it's surprising how much you can learn to love someone when your kidnapped and stuck in the back of a truck." she pointed out.<br>Mal couldn't help but smile in spite of himself "I just want her to be happy." he confessed "but I also don't want to never see her again."  
>Natara comfortingly wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close and said "Maybe it's better this way."<br>Suddenly a woman, aged but still with a proud-looking face walked in. Mal saw her, and had a sudden chill down his spine. She was taller and strongly-build, still showing it despite her age. Her hair was short and dark, clearly dyed to mask the grey. There was no mistaking who this woman was. She looked just like her son. The son who had just shot his daughter, who had ended his own life because of it.

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><p><strong>OH SNAP! By the way, thank you so much for the reviews! They seriously mean the world to me! I'm going to try and update again today, but in all honesty that might not happen for a while, as I have a paper to write on <em>The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar<em> (Love that book by the way. Antony is my favorite character!), which is due in a few days and I haven't even started yet. Oops. Fan-fiction clearly doesn't want me to pass my class. Ah well, such is life. I adore this website. Also, I'm glad to say this story has gotten the most reviews, follows and favorites of all my stories so far! Thanks so much! Thanks especially to _mozzi-girl_, I get a huge smile every-time your reviews, it makes me so happy.**


	20. Chapter 20

She scanned the room, her small eyes sharp as if they had spent years picking out wrongdoing. They locked on Mal, who was still standing with Natara. Natara looked up at this woman also, and Mal could tell she was thinking the same thing he was. 'She looks just like her son'. She walked towards them, and Natara stepped away from Mal so she could address him. "Detective Fallon?" she said. Her voice was sharp but slightly horse, as if she had recently wept for her son and managed to compose herself before she walked in. Mal nodded at her question. "A privet word please?". Without an answer she walked into an empty section in the hallway. The whole section was rather quiet, as it was morning the whole hospital was devoid of visitors and new patients alike. She stopped, looking at him curiously as if trying to read his thoughts.  
>"It's funny" she finally said. From her tone Mal knew it wasn't funny at all. "Maxwell was always a troubled child. Used to get in trouble at school all the time. I didn't want to believe it meant anything when he escalated to hurting animals."<br>Somehow, Mal seemed to understand "You didn't want to believe what he was becoming".  
>She nodded. "No one ever does. We want to pretend our own children are perfect. Now look at what he's done to his only child. She'll always know who her father is, what he's done. It'll be all over the news. There'll be no escape from it". From Molly's open door, Mal could faintly hear Amy's voice, and Molly's faint giggle afterwards. Molly's grandmother must have seen his averted gaze, for she said "You love her, don't you?".<br>Mal didn't give an answer, but she must have seen it on his face. "Your father was Jacob Fallon, was he not?". Mal nodded, taking his eyes away from the door. "I know of him. I saw him everywhere when I was a teenager. Was it hard? Knowing what your father had done?".  
>"For a while it was. He always told me he did it for me, because he loved me. Molly doesn't have that".<br>"But what she can have is someone who understands her. I'm getting older Malachi Fallon. I'm in no position to take care of a child". Mal looked at her curiously. Was she saying what he thought she was saying?  
>"I guess what I'm saying is, she risked her life for you. Would you do the same for her?".<br>Mal smiled as he heard Molly's small giggle again, thinking how it would be impossible not to love her. "I would give her more than that if I could".  
>She looked at her seriously for a moment, as if she could physically see deception. "I was always told I look so much like my son. I don't want her to look at that every day."<br>Mal knew exactly what she was saying now. "She doesn't have to."

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><p><strong>Okay, since this was my most popular story series, I kinda want to write a threequel now. It'd be about Molly getting adjusted to her new life with Mal and Natara and general fluff like that. I don't know, comment if you think I should. I'm kinda exited about it now so I might write it even if no one says to anyways lol. So, anyways…THE END…possibly.<strong>


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